Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 19th

Sunday, 21st November: A dry, bright and breezy day, with plenty of sunshine and some cloud, but notably cooler, with a chilly and fresh northerly force 4-5.

Selsey Bill: Five Great Northern Divers were still present offshore, whilst a couple of hundred auks were moving through, but otherwise it was standard fare. Full log below. (SH/PB/JA/BI/SR/CRJ/IP/RJS/AH/P&LHu et al)

(0700-0930hrs) (N, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 5 os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1os

diver sp - 1W

Gannet - 42W

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 10W

Common Scoter - 8W

Turnstone - 12

Common Gull - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 6W

Guillemot - 2E

Razorbill - 13E, 4W, 2os

auk sp - 19E, 188W

Meadow Pipit - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 2

This afternoon, a Bottle-nosed Dolphin was seen breeching once offshore, but not too many birds again. (SH/P&LHu)

(1315-1500hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W

diver sp - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 8W

Brent Goose - 7W

Common Scoter - 1E, 7W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Common Gull - 2E

Kittiwake - 8W

Razorbill - 1E, 3W

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 1os

Gannet (above), Brent Geese & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just a couple of Snipe were on the pool his morning, with otherwise half a dozen Shelducks, c60 Shovelers and c80 Teal present, whilst the Water Rail was again in Red Barn Ditch and the Kingfisher and c30 Wigeon were in the channel opposite the pool. (AH)

Later on, a Swallow went west over the Tramway. (P&LH)

Water Rail (above) & Kingfisher around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Spoonbill was again on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with two Black-tailed Godwits and a Dunlin, whilst a Dartford Warbler and a few Stonechats were along the banks. (M&LH/NBd)

Spoonbill at Medmerry (NB)

North Wall: Three Swallows were feeding over the wall this afternoon. (E Paxton per Twitter)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were 40= Cattle Egrets in the fields today. (E Paxton per Twitter)

Church Norton: A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite the second Several and a juvenile Marsh Harrier was seen heading north over the harbour, whilst the four Goosanders were divided equally between the harbour mouth and the channel by the concrete blocks.

The Whimbrel and 50+ Knot were among the many Grey Plovers and Dunlin present, whilst a Red-breasted Merganser flew out of the harbour and there were also a few Pintail, wigeon and Teal and lots of Brent Geese about. (IP/P&LHu/AH/CRJ/RJS et al)

Goosanders (above), Marsh Harrier, Whimbrel, Brent Geese, Knot and Grey Plovers & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Saturday, 20th November: A fairly mild, still and murky morning in just a light northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Three Swallows - looking like an adult and two juveniles - were flying around at the Bill this morning, whilst five Velvet Scoters went east, five Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a few auks were moving about. Full log later. (SH/SR/BI/AH/IP/JA)

(0700-0930hrs) (N, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 3W

Gannet - 12W

Brent Goose - 4E, 1W

Shelduck - 2W

Common Scoter - 7W

Velvet Scoter - 5E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W, 1os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 21

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 17W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 4E, 14W, 7os

auk sp - 12E, 137W

Swallow - 3

Meadow Pipit - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 3

(0945-1145hrs) (OM/PC)

Great Northern Diver - 5 os still present

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 4W

Brent Goose - 6E

Common Scoter - 4 os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Turnstone - 24 ob

Oystercatcher - 2E

Razorbill - 6os

Guillemot - 1 os

auk sp - 3E, 2W

Pied Wagtail - 2 ob

(1445-1545hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1W

Gannet - 1E, 8W, 10os

Turnstone - 2

Kittiwake - 2W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 1E, 4W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Swallows at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A dozen or so Snipe were in the roadside reeds again, and six Shelducks, c50 Shovelers and c100 Teal were on the pool, whilst the kingfisher was in the channel opposite and a Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch. (AH)

Kingfisher at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Firecrest was along the path between the Severals this morning, whilst the four Goosanders and six Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour, along with the Peregrine on its island. (IP)

East Head: The two Velvet Scoters were off Ella Nore again, where, unfortunately, two thoughtless paddle-boarders disturbed the 1000+ Dunlin roosting there. (GM)

Velvet Scoters (above) & paddle-boarders where Dunlin should be roosting at Ella Nore (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Dartford Warblers were along the banks this morning, along with eight Stonechats, nine Yellowhammers and 20+ Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, whilst 300+ Golden Plovers and 100+ Lapwings were up over the reserve.

The Spoonbill was again on the Stilt Pool, but the only waders were 18 Ringed Plovers, with the usual mix of wildfowl present, too. (S&SaH)

Chichetser Marina pool: I covered the pool between 1500-1630hrs, by which time it was all but dark, just in case a Bittern might have taken residence for the winter, but alas no luck today,

The only birds of interest were three different Water Rails calling, along with two Cetti's Warblers, whilst a dozen Mallard dropped into the reeds, followed by several small Starling flocks, totalling about 100 birds, which also dropped in to roost. (OM)

Also, a walk along the Salterns Way towards Dell Quay produced a pair of Grey Partridges and a small flock of Yellowhammers. (BI)

Grey Partridges at Chichester Marina (BI)

North Wall and East Side: Two Snipe, a Water Rail, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Teal were on the Breech Pool, where the water level has dropped quite markedly, but the only other birds noted were a few Reed Buntings, with White's Creek holding large numbers of Wigeon and Brent Geese, along with two Avocets, c200 Golden Plovers, 300 Lapwings and c50 Black-tailed Godwits.

There were many more Brent Geese along the side of the harbour, and large numbers of waders, including eight Bar-tailed Godwits, 100+ Knot and Grey Plovers and 500+ Dunlin. (AH)

Snipe (above), Golden Plovers, Knot and Dunlin, Avocets & Wigeon around the North Wall (AH)

Pagham Lagoon and Spit: The Goldeneye was again on the Lagoon, along with c20 Little Grebes, six Great Crested Grebes and c30 Tufted Ducks.

The four Goosanders were viewable in the harbour, whilst three Red-breasted Mergansers flew into the harbour and further flocks of eight and ten went west over the harbour mouth, but a couple of Meadow Pipits were the only birds seen on the spit. (AH)

Goldeneye (above), Little Grebe & Red-breasted Mergansers around Pagham Spit (AH)

Friday, 19th November: Another cool and grey morning in a fairly light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Three Great Northern Divers, a Guillemot and a couple of Razorbills were on the sea, but little was on the move again. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/BI et al)

(0730-0830hrs) (WNW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 10W

Shelduck - 3W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 11W, 12 present

Mediterranean Gull - 3W, 1os

Common Gull -1W

Guillemot - 8W, 1os

Razorbill - 1E, 2os

auk sp - 8E, 20W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Guillemot (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least ten Snipe were at the front and c60 Lapwings were roosting at the back, with two Shelducks, c70 Shoveler and c120 Teal also present, whilst early on, the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher at the Ferry (AH)

West Wittering: A garden first today, with a Firecrest present this morning. (GM)

Sidlesham: A flock of nine Cattle Egrets went west over Cow Lane at lunchtime today. (AH)

Birdham Pool: A total of 47 Little Grebes and 22 Tufted Ducks, plus a flock of Long-tailed Tits in the surrounding trees, was all I could find here. (SR)

Church Norton: The four Goosanders were again in the harbour, along with five Red-breasted Mergansers, with two more of the latter, a Guillemot and three Great Crested Grebes the only birds offshore.

The Whimbrel and half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits were present, along with large numbers of Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Brent Geese, whilst the Peregrine was again on its island.

Two Stonechats were in the horse field, and a dozen Skylarks and a couple of Meadow Pipits were along the spit, but the bushes were again quiet. (AH/MRu et al)

The Merlin was sat on the fence around Tern Island for much of this afternoon, whilst a Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were in the gorse along the path to the spit. (IH/SP)